Rival Camps Clash in Chaotic Hong Kong Legislature

▶️Several Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers were ejected from a House Committee meeting at the city’s legislature Friday, May 8, following a scuffle with security and rival legislators. The committee has been paralyzed for months by filibustering from pro-democracy lawmakers trying to stop a bill banning insults to China’s national anthem.

👉A fight broke out in Hong Kong’s legislature Friday as pro-democracy and pro-China lawmakers sparred over selecting the chairperson of a key committee. The rival legislators, wearing masks because of coronavirus guidelines, shouted and pushed one another as pro-Beijing lawmaker Starry Lee attempted to chair the meeting from behind a cordon of about two dozen guards in grey suits.

Democrats said the move violated procedure and sought to eject her from the House Committee chair where she was seated. Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to China in 1997 with a guarantee of extended freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland.

Beijing rejects criticism that it is seeking to reverse those freedoms. Resentment against the government remains widespread in Hong Kong, and last June it erupted into weekly demonstrations to protest an extradition bill that would have allowed detainees in Hong Kong to be transferred to mainland China.

Although the bill was later withdrawn, the demonstrations continued for months before a lull starting in January as the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus. https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pac…